Political figures from opposite ends of the spectrum are uniting to urge Congress to implement stricter human-centric controls on artificial intelligence development.
Key facts
- •The "Pro-Human Assembly" was organized by the Future of Life Institute, which released 33 principles in March advocating for human agency in AI.
- •Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon recently resigned, publicly accusing major AI developers of gambling with human lives.
- •House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that while he supports guardrails, he fears a rush to regulate could allow China to surpass U.S. AI capabilities.
- •The Ratepayer Protection Act is scheduled for a House vote to address the impact of data centers on energy costs.
- •Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei proposed international coordination and independent evaluators to manage AI safety.
Independent Senator Bernie Sanders and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon appeared together at the "Pro-Human Assembly" in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. The event, organized by the Future of Life Institute, brought together a bipartisan group to advocate for increased human oversight of AI. The assembly comes amid growing concerns from both lawmakers and industry insiders regarding the rapid, exponential advancement of artificial intelligence technology.
Differing Views on Industry Regulation
While both Sanders and Bannon advocate for greater control, their perspectives on industry motives differ. Sanders warned that AI is advancing exponentially and could escape human control with catastrophic consequences if left unchecked. Conversely, Bannon criticized tech CEOs who have recently called for more regulation, labeling their requests a "bald-faced lie" intended to socialize risks and shield companies from liability while maintaining market dominance.
Industry and Congressional Response
Recent calls for caution from industry leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Elon Musk, have urged a slowdown in development. Anthropic has committed to allowing independent evaluators access to its safety practices. Meanwhile, Congress is considering legislative action, such as the Ratepayer Protection Act, which aims to address energy cost spikes caused by the proliferation of data centers. House Speaker Mike Johnson has expressed support for some guardrails but cautioned against emergency regulations that might cause the U.S. to lose a competitive technological race against China.
Timeline
- MarchThe Future of Life Institute issued 33 principles to guide the pro-human movement regarding AI.
- SaturdayAnthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for a slowdown in frontier AI lab development.
- TuesdayBernie Sanders and Steve Bannon appeared at the Pro-Human Assembly in Washington, D.C.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by EUobserver, NPR Politics, CBS News Politics.
